Keith D. Berkeley

Dr. Keith D. Berkeley passed away peacefully on September 7, 2023, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. A Service of Celebration will be held in mid-October at St. Michael Lutheran Church. Dr. Berkeley was born in Port Huron, Michigan on December 19, 1931. He was the son of the late Marion and Geraldine Berkeley. He was predeceased by a brother, Gerard. As a boy he had a newspaper route and helped neighbors with odd jobs. He enjoyed spending time with his grandparents playing and working on their farm. After high school in 1949, he began working at United Shirt Men’s Clothing store. In 1952 he joined the US Army and was stationed in the US and later in Germany and was discharged in 1954. Dr. Berkeley began taking night classes at the community college. In 1953 in married his high school sweetheart, Lesley Benner. During the early years and while the children began to arrive, Dr. Berkeley worked and took night classes and finished college with a doctoral degree in Elementary Education (EdD) in 1968. That same year, the family moved to Columbia, SC where he begin work at the University of South Carolina. He will be remembered for his dedication to the teaching profession and described his job as teaching teachers to be teachers. He retired in 1996 and spent his retirement years enjoying time with his wife and his family. Dr. Berkeley was a skilled and discerning craftsman in design, woodworking and construction. He would not hesitate tackling an addition to their home, building a patio, constructing a bar, even making a kite for a school project. His family would say that he could build or fix anything. Dr. Berkeley was a member of Union United Methodist Church in Irmo, SC where he served on committees and enjoyed attending and teaching in his adult Sunday School class. “Guppie” to his grandchildren and great grandchildren, Dr. Berkeley was survived briefly by his wife, Lesley, of 70 years, the love of his life, his children Sabrina (Dean) Whitecotton, Keith B. (Laura) Berkeley and John E. (Allison Remsburg) Berkeley; his grandchildren Emily Whitecotton, Meredith (Ryan) Jamison, Graydon Whitecotton, Preston (Kathleen) Berkeley, Nell Berkeley, Sydney (Matt) Roberts, and Ernie (Cody) Berkeley. Dr and Mrs. Berkeley also had four great-grandchildren Henry and William Jamison, Barrett Roberts, and Austen Berkeley. He adored his family. He will be dearly missed, but his legacy will live on in his family’s hearts and minds forever. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice.